title: Phase II study of single agent oral vinorelbine as first-line treatment in patients with HER-2 negative metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies indicated that oral chemotherapy is convenient and preferred by many patients. We hereby report the efficacy and safety of oral vinorelbine as first-line chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer (MBC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one patients with HER-2 negative MBC were enrolled between January 2007 and December 2010 in a prospective phase II trial. Patients were treated every 3 weeks with oral vinorelbine 60 mg/m² Days 1 and 8 for the 1st cycle and thereafter 80 mg/m² Days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks. Treatment was administered until disease progression or unexpected adverse event or patient refusal to continue. Primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR); secondary endpoints were time-to-progression (TTP), overall survival (OS) and safety. Follow-up results until October 2012 are reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median age was 42 years (range 33-75). 26 (84 %) patients had 2 or more metastatic sites. A median of 6 cycles were administered (range 2-20). ORR was achieved in 9 (29 %) patients including 1 complete and 8 partial responses. 12 (39 %) patients had stable disease, resulting in a disease control rate of 68 %. Median TTP was 5.2 months [95 % CI 2.8-7.5]. Median OS was 16 months [95 % CI 11.3-20.7]. 3 (10 %) patients developed Grade 3-4 neutropenia. No events of febrile neutropenia, cardiac, renal toxicities or alopecia were recorded. Grade 3 thrombocytopenia and nausea-vomiting were reported in 2 (6 %) and 5 (16 %) patients, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results show a good efficacy and tolerance profile of oral vinorelbine as first-line chemotherapy for HER-2 negative MBC patients.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. magedmansour@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Maged
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mansour
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mourad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077235:Vinorelbine
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D014747:Vinblastine; D000077235:Vinorelbine; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human